Knead to know
Wonderful new pizza joint slices into bustling Pearl food hall
What happens when a fine dining chef turns his attention to pizza? Locals will soon find out when WonderSlice opens in Pearl’s Food Hall at Bottling Department in June.
In a release, the bustling development announced that chef Ben Schwartz will take over the space formerly occupied by Fletcher’s Hamburgers. After a five-year run, chef Sergio Remolina shuttered his casual spot on March 21, hinting at a forthcoming larger location.
A musician by training, Schwartz soon funneled his creativity to the kitchen, working at the James Beard Award-winning Oleana in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the Michelin-starred Arzak in San Sebastián, Spain. His name is most closely associated to Austin, however, where he worked at some of the Capital City’s finest restaurants, including Uchiko, Emmer & Rye, and Le Politique.
WonderSlice will pay homage to his Northeast upbringing, bringing the feel of a neighborhood pizza joint to the busy food hall. On tap will be pizza by the slice, full pies, housemade subs, salads, and soft serve ice cream.
The menu includes accessible fare like the Ball Park pizza with Italian sausage, red onion, broccoli rabe and chili flakes, and a chicken Parmesan sub with marinara sauce, fresh mozzarella, and basil. Taking advantage of the weekend Pearl Farmers Market, the team plans to collaborate with vendors on seasonal specials.
“No frills, honest, delicious, and satisfying food is what we all want and need right now,” shared Shwartz in the release.
WonderSlice will be the first pizza concept in the food hall, created as incubator space for local chefs to grow and test new concepts. It’s sure to attract fans during the site’s many activations, including the recently announced Summer Night Market series.
“This offering will be a great experience for regulars and visitors alike,” said Pearl Commercial’s CEO Elizabeth Fauerso via release. “What’s better than pizza in the park?”
